It is often desired to apply safety shields to eyeglasses in order to protect the user from debris that can contact the eye from the top or sides of the eyeglasses. Typically, these shields are either too loosely connected to provide adequate protection in all circumstances or are rigidly applied to the temple pieces in a relatively elaborate manner in an eyeglass factory, requiring specialized equipment. Often it is desired to retrofit eyeglasses with rigid safety shields in the field, away from specialized equipment and eyeglass factories. Although attempts have been made in the past to provide safety shields to eyeglasses without specialized equipment and away from eyeglass factories, the resulting safety shield is generally too loosely attached to the eyeglasses, the connection is not sufficiently durable, or the temple must be especially manufactured or subject to damage in order to receive the shield.
Additionally, safety directors charged with ensuring that employees wear eyeglasses with safety shields are presented with the problem of equipping non-conforming employees with permanent eyeglass safety shields in a quick, efficient, and cost-effective manner. Previous safety shields can not be attached permanently to eyeglasses in a quick, efficient, and cost-effective manner.
Examples of these prior eyeglass frames are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,798,815 to Hirschman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,304 to Baker; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,679 to Bennett.
Thus, there is a continuing need to provide improved eyeglass frames with rigidly attached shields that can be easily attached to existing eyeglasses.